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N0. 6l3,2|3. Patented Oct. 25, 1898. W. F. MURPHY.

WRENCH.

(Application flled'ilsn. 12, 1898.) (No Model.)

minessqs:

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

WILLIAM F. MURPHY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TOTHOMAS H. DOHERTY, OF SAME PLACE.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,213, dated October25, 1898.

Application filed January 12, 1898. Serial No. 666,454. .No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. MURPHY, of Boston, county of Suffolk, andState of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Wrenches, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representinglike parts.

My invention is an improvement in handwrenches, and has for its objectthe provision of a wrench which while positive and accurate in itsadjustments is practically nonbreakable, being rigid and unusuallystrong at every point subjected to strain and having a solid andsubstantial construction,the parts thereof all having considerable sizeand being as nearly block-like and free from cavities and accessories aspossible.

Various devices have been heretofore proposed operating to accomplish ingeneral the movements which I employ-that is to say, wrenches haveheretofore been invented having a jaw movable transversely to a handleand locked and unlocked by means of a ratchet or dog contained in thehandle.

My wrench in general comprises a head of solid metal and block-likeform, so as to be rigid and strong at all points, this head having atransverse and preferably dovetailed way in one end, in which, I mount asliding jaw,which cooperates with a fixed jaw of said head, this slidingjaw being also block-like (I use this term to mean solid and not hollow)and having teeth or engaging portions on its under side, cooperatingwith a notched block permanently held in the head to interlock with saidengaging portions and hold the sliding jaw in any adjustment desired,said block being swiveled on a shouldered end of the handle screwed intosaid head.

Further details of my invention will be pointed out in the followingdescription, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings,illustrative of apreferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a wrenchembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section thereof.Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the form of the jawsand the adjacent parts. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of thelocking-block and handle disconnected.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a substantial solid head, whichmay be of caststeel or a drop-forging, composition, or other extremelytenacious material suitable for the purpose.- This head is providedacross its outer end with a channel or way a,preferably having oppositegrooves a to constitute a dovetailed way, and has at one end of the waya rigid integral jaw a herein shown as bridging across said way. Withinthe way a I mount a sliding jaw 6, having lateral flanges or ribs b,fitting in the grooves a, and preferably provided with a removable pin bat one end in order to prevent the accidental removal of the sliding jawb from the head. On its under surface the jaw 17, or, rather, the stem bthereof, is provided with a plurality of engaging portions, herein shownas teeth 19 although it will be understood that any other form ofinterlocking means may be provided. Cooperating with these notches b isa locking-block 0, also having teeth 0', these teeth being on the upperside of the said block in order to firmly engage the teeth I), as isclearly shown in Fig. 2. The block 0 is herein shown as swiveled at c ona reduced end (1 of a handle D, said handle having a shoulder (1 next toand supporting the block 0 and being riveted or button-set at itsextreme end d in order to positively move said block when the handle isretracted. The handle D also preferably has a shoulder d of suitablewidth, which bears against the smaller tapered end a of the head, givingrigidity and strength of purchase when the handle is used as a lever forturning an object by the wrench. Beyond the shoulder d the reducedportion of the handle has threaded connection in the head, as indicatedat 61 the head being properly tapped for the purpose. The handle ispreferably flattened at d in order to give a firm twisting grasp for thehand.

It will be evident that in operation the wrench has a considerable depthof the solid metal opposing strains in all directions, no matter whatthe strain may be. If it is a nut that is to be turned, the user simplyrotates the handle D to the left sufficiently to withdraw thelocking-block c from looking engagement with the sliding jaw, andthereupon he slides said jaw in the head the distance required foraccurately fitting the nut and then simply turns the handle to theright, thereupon immovably locking the jaw 11 as adjusted. It will beborne in mind that this locking is accomplished without the action ofany springs or anything else that can possibly get out of order, butthat all that is required is simply a block a which is positively movedinto and out of engagement with a solid jaw. There is nothing to crushor get out of fit, but my wrench is reduced to the extreme ofcompactness, simplicity, and solidity, without sacrificing anyadvantage, and this is accomplished, moreover, with a material increasein strength and power. Also it will be observed that even thescrew-threads d which are the only feature of my invention which isremotely delicate or frail, are not depended upon for resisting anystrain, but serve simply and solely to move the block 0 back and forth,and the strains that come on said block due to the tendency of the headb to move are received by said block and the sides of the pocket whichholds it.

While I have herein described in detail the construction of my improvedwrench, I wish it understood that I am not limited to the precisedetails thereof, inasmuch as various changes may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

As an article of manufacture, the hereindescribed wrench, comprising asolid head A having a block-like form, provided with a transversechannel or way a and opposite grooves at extending from one edge to theopposite edge of the head, a fixed jaw a projecting from said head atone end of said channel or way and bridging the latter, a sliding jaw I)having lateral flanges or ribs 1) fitting in the grooves a, engagingportions 11' on the under side of said jaw, said head being centrallytapped by a threaded hole perpendicular to said channel or way, a handleD having a threaded end working therein, and provided with a shoulder dabutting against the adjacent end of said head, and a shoulder d withinthe head and at the free end of the threaded portion of said threadedend, said end being reduced beyond the shoulder d, and a rectangularblock 0 seated on the shoulder d and loosely riveted to said reducedend, said block having teeth 0 locking into the portions 12 asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

\VILLIAM F. MURPHY Witnesses:

GEO. H. MAXWELL, JOHN C. EDWARDS.

